Chapter 134

• ALYONA
• I stood in my room, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My heart was beating faster than usual—today was the first day of my new job. I had been waiting for this moment for so long, but now that it was here, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. I looked down at the clothes spread across my bed. Most of them were too casual, and some were just too old. Working for a fashion brand meant appearances mattered. I remembered how the girls I had met during the interview had walked in—hair styled perfectly, makeup on point, dressed like they’d just stepped out of a magazine. I needed to look like I belonged there.
• A small smile tugged at my lips when my eyes landed on a set of neatly folded clothes in the corner of the wardrobe—Cassie’s. Before she left, she had told me to keep them, and now they felt like a gift. She always had a better sense of style than I did, and thankfully, we were the same size. I carefully picked out a soft beige blouse and paired it with the black skirt she used to wear on her first job. Somehow, wearing them made me feel closer to her… stronger, even.